Any other ladies lose their period?

2

Replies

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Running calories is easy to calculate accurately so you can eat them all back.

    Bodyweight in lbs x 0.63 x distance in miles

    Thank you I'll keep this in mind although I think this overestimates my calorie burn for my runs lol I don't think I burn much since I'm at a low weight currently?

    it uses weight in the calculation

    I know I put in my weight but it gives me a pretty big calorie burn for my runs that's why I feel like it's overestimating.

    how much for what mileage?

    I just tested it out using the mileage I normally would do which is around 7-10 miles which I'm reducing currently but the calorie burn is between 300-400. Is that even possible??

    why would you think that is a lot?

    i presume from your comments you aren't currently eating back any exercise cals?

    have you managed to eat any more or run any less since you started this thread?
  • ladypetrushka_
    ladypetrushka_ Posts: 8 Member
    Check out the book "The Period Repair Manual". It was written by Dr. Lara Briden. She talks about how a healthy cycle works, different cycle problems, and how to fix them. You also need to add more calories/carbs.
  • quebot
    quebot Posts: 99 Member
    wait
    Check out the book "The Period Repair Manual". It was written by Dr. Lara Briden. She talks about how a healthy cycle works, different cycle problems, and how to fix them. You also need to add more calories/carbs.

    Thank you for this suggestion. I have been struggling with my periods after going gluten free bc of autoimmune issues. I have plenty of body fat and my current only exercises are walking, yoga, and occasionally Jillian on my good days. I just downloaded this book to my kindle and after looking through it, it appears to be more helpful than my doctors. Can't wait to finish it.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    RoxieDawn wrote: »
    .

    why did you delete?
  • C_Stretton
    C_Stretton Posts: 201 Member
    In my early 20s I was severely underweight. I suggest seeing a nutritionist to get tips on adding calories and how much. It really helped me. My situation may have been different though; I was afraid of adding calories and gaining weight, and needed that extra coaching. It took a while, but I came away with a better relationship with food and exercise, not to mention really good recipes that I still use 20 years later.
  • saragd012
    saragd012 Posts: 693 Member
    I'm glad to hear you're not opposed to gaining weight, I've never lost my period, but if I did I would take it as a clear warning sign that something has to change too. It sounds like you've received some great advice here already, I'd also like to reinforce that 300-400 calories does not sound like an over-estimation for 7-10 miles. If you're worried about that though I'd recommend an activity tracker with a HR monitor, these things do use your weight as part of the calculation. FWIW I have to net about 1600 calories to maintain my weight, which means on heavy workout days I'm actually eating around 2,100 calories to account for calories burned, and I have a BMI of 19. So keep in mind that you may need far more calories than you think to gain.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    quebot wrote: »
    wait
    Check out the book "The Period Repair Manual". It was written by Dr. Lara Briden. She talks about how a healthy cycle works, different cycle problems, and how to fix them. You also need to add more calories/carbs.

    Thank you for this suggestion. I have been struggling with my periods after going gluten free bc of autoimmune issues. I have plenty of body fat and my current only exercises are walking, yoga, and occasionally Jillian on my good days. I just downloaded this book to my kindle and after looking through it, it appears to be more helpful than my doctors. Can't wait to finish it.

    if you lost your period and have body fat above what is considered too low, and you arent overexercising. Then you need to be tested and see why you are having these issues. going gluten free should have nothing to do with it. it probably is something else causing it.
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    I havr had no period for a while but my body is under tremendous stress from chronic diseases. I'm not underweight atm but keeping myself well nourished is an issue.
  • liftforjoy43
    liftforjoy43 Posts: 33 Member
    Running calories is easy to calculate accurately so you can eat them all back.

    Bodyweight in lbs x 0.63 x distance in miles

    Thank you I'll keep this in mind although I think this overestimates my calorie burn for my runs lol I don't think I burn much since I'm at a low weight currently?

    it uses weight in the calculation

    I know I put in my weight but it gives me a pretty big calorie burn for my runs that's why I feel like it's overestimating.

    how much for what mileage?

    I just tested it out using the mileage I normally would do which is around 7-10 miles which I'm reducing currently but the calorie burn is between 300-400. Is that even possible??

    why would you think that is a lot?

    i presume from your comments you aren't currently eating back any exercise cals?

    have you managed to eat any more or run any less since you started this thread?

    I guess I assume that because I've been told that the less you weigh= low calorie burn and that the more you weigh=more calories burn. Can you confirm this?
    And yes since I've started this thread I've eaten back all of my calories increasing my intake by 200+ and the most I've ran is 1 hour but I think I may make the decision to stop because I qas told running causes stress to the body and I guess I'm just causing stress to my body preventing my period from coming back. You think this would be a good decision?
  • liftforjoy43
    liftforjoy43 Posts: 33 Member
    RoxieDawn wrote: »
    RoxieDawn wrote: »
    .

    why did you delete?

    Not sure if you saw what I wrote but after re-reading the thread I was unsure the OP would be receptive.

    No please don't be afraid to leave any new suggestions or ideas for me. I'm open to anything
  • liftforjoy43
    liftforjoy43 Posts: 33 Member
    Still curious as to what you wrote @RoxieDawn ?
  • liftforjoy43
    liftforjoy43 Posts: 33 Member
    I didn’t have to stop running to get my period back, I just had to gain 20-25lbs. It sucked, but I was in the same situation as you. I didn’t have my period for over a year, when it finally came back I threw myself a literal party with Medjool Dates and a movie with my mom.

    Yeah that's what I'm doing right now. My goal is to gain atleast 10 pounds and will keep going if necesaary
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    quebot wrote: »
    quebot wrote: »
    wait
    Check out the book "The Period Repair Manual". It was written by Dr. Lara Briden. She talks about how a healthy cycle works, different cycle problems, and how to fix them. You also need to add more calories/carbs.

    Thank you for this suggestion. I have been struggling with my periods after going gluten free bc of autoimmune issues. I have plenty of body fat and my current only exercises are walking, yoga, and occasionally Jillian on my good days. I just downloaded this book to my kindle and after looking through it, it appears to be more helpful than my doctors. Can't wait to finish it.

    if you lost your period and have body fat above what is considered too low, and you arent overexercising. Then you need to be tested and see why you are having these issues. going gluten free should have nothing to do with it. it probably is something else causing it.

    Yes. Most people with autoimmune issues (especially more than one) visit the doctor very frequently. Celiac combined with giving up gluten is the primary reason my doctors have given me for my lack of period. Their testing and evaluations are frustrating because no one seems to give concrete answers. Malnourishment is a possible answer given to me because of a damaged gut. Early menopause is very high with people who have celiac. Gluten affects your thyroid and hormone levels if your celiac, as well as the removal of it. I've been dealing with celiac since 2009. As well as issues with my cycle across the spectrum. All under doctor supervision (lots and lots of doctors, sigh).

    well Im glad I dont have any of those things then.I have an autoimmune issue but dont have celiac,am not malnourished,never lost my period.no thyroid issues either. now my daughter has hypothyroidism,but again none of the other issues that usually come with it.my aunt was diagnosed celiac before she died(from a heart issue that was genetic) but she didnt have those issues either. I guess we are just weird lol
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Still curious as to what you wrote @RoxieDawn ?

    She basically said you need to take it seriously.

    You didn't answer my question about whether you had decreased your running and eaten more since starting this thread @liftforjoy43 ?
  • liftforjoy43
    liftforjoy43 Posts: 33 Member
    Still curious as to what you wrote @RoxieDawn ?

    She basically said you need to take it seriously.

    You didn't answer my question about whether you had decreased your running and eaten more since starting this thread @liftforjoy43 ?

    Yes I did? I responded back. Haven't you seen it yet?
  • liftforjoy43
    liftforjoy43 Posts: 33 Member
    Still curious as to what you wrote @RoxieDawn ?

    She basically said you need to take it seriously.

    You didn't answer my question about whether you had decreased your running and eaten more since starting this thread @liftforjoy43 ?

    My response is on the first page of this post
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    edited April 2018
    Still curious as to what you wrote @RoxieDawn ?

    She basically said you need to take it seriously.

    You didn't answer my question about whether you had decreased your running and eaten more since starting this thread @liftforjoy43 ?

    Yes I did? I responded back. Haven't you seen it yet?

    Sorry, didn't see it as the thread went onto a new page. I think taking a rest week will help, there is no need to give up running altogether, but you need to fuel it properly.

    200 cals is a good start but it's unlikely that's even enough to put you at maintenance so you'll need to keep increasing.
  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    With respect, if I were in your situation I would be looking for a new doctor. Possibly one with experience in sports medicine - it's not unusual for athletes to lose their periods. But it is potentially quite serious and it doesn't sound as if your doctor is taking it seriously.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    One more thing for the future so it doesn't catch you by surprise: as you gain weight, running may become harder. Your speed could suffer. Be mentally prepared for that and don't let it affect your determination to reclaim your health. I can't stress enough how serious of a problem being underweight is, even if your labs are good. It affects bone function, heart function, immune system function, and a slew of other issues that could be irreversible if you don't act now.
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    mochapygmy wrote: »
    I would run only 3x a week but don't increase your distance to "make up" for not running the other 2 days.

    I would increase calories 100 to 200 calories per day.

    How much fat are you getting daily? Did your Doctor talk to you about fat affecting hormones?

    Does 4 times a week for about an hour, maybe more sound excessive? And I have no idea about the exact amount but I do eat alot of almonds, peanut/almond butter, walnuts/pecans,chia seeds, eggs so I think I may take in a good amount? They didn't mention too much about it but that it could help to increase it

    I run about 4-5 hours a week plus whatever other stuff I feel like doing - hiking, mountain biking, strength training, or whatever else on the days I don't run. But I'm always doing something every day. I'm in my 40's and have been doing this for decades. I've never been underweight or overweight, have always had regular periods, and no major injuries or health issues. My BMI is 21. But I make sure I rest when I need it, and I always eat enough to maintain my health. You can run long distance and gain weight. I gained weight while training for a marathon one year. You just have to increase calories beyond what you burn.

    It sounds like you are overtraining and undereating. That's a risky combination. You need to eat enough to properly fuel and repair your body, otherwise, your body starts cutting "less necessary" things (like reproductive processes) to cover your deficits and take care of essential things (like brain function, heart, etc.). When you lose your period, you know your body is under stress! It's a warning sign that your body might start cutting important things next...

    4 times a week for an hour sounds like a good plan to me, especially since you are used to doing a lot more than that. That may sound like a lot to people who aren't used to it, but it WILL be a significant reduction for you. That gives you some time off, but isn't as severe as those suggesting you switch to 30 minute runs a few times a week. To me, and probably some other long-distance runners, that just sounds depressing. If I only ran for 30 minutes, I would literally feel like I'd just warmed up - like I'd done almost nothing. I'm not kidding. Several years ago I had to take a break from running for a month or two due to an injury and my mood tanked big time. You want to keep doing the thing you love, but you need to be smart about it, and cut back when your body sends you the signals. If you don't cut back now, you might have to stop altogether later, and that's a bummer.

    I might just be a crazed exercise junkie chasing that runner's high, but I'm healthy and smart about it, and my doctor actually prescribes it to treat anxiety. I'm supposed to be active every day, most days vigorously so. So I'm going to do that for as long as it works for me. (And it really works for me.) But if it's not working for you, and it sounds like it's not working using your current methodology, you need to revise your routine. When exercise is a big part of your life, you'll miss it dearly when you can't do it, so don't restrict it too severely. I'd focus on weight gain and nutrition (get that BMI up and your periods should come back) and also try to reduce exercise (because burning fewer calories will help with weight gain), but maybe only by half at first - I know I'd struggle if I went from 50 miles a week down to 5. I'd go nuts. But I could drop from 50 to 25 easily, and that would be real progress. You could even reduce further after you get used to doing less and it feels OK, or leave it at that if your health improves.

    Whatever you decide, "run" it by your doctor. If they weren't specific, maybe you can say, "hey, I've been running 50 miles a week. Would going down to 25 be OK, or should I reduce further?" Because all this advice in this thread is just different people's opinions. We don't really know what your doctor has in mind. :)
  • liftforjoy43
    liftforjoy43 Posts: 33 Member
    Still curious as to what you wrote @RoxieDawn ?

    She basically said you need to take it seriously.

    You didn't answer my question about whether you had decreased your running and eaten more since starting this thread @liftforjoy43 ?

    Yes I did? I responded back. Haven't you seen it yet?

    Sorry, didn't see it as the thread went onto a new page. I think taking a rest week will help, there is no need to give up running altogether, but you need to fuel it properly.

    200 cals is a good start but it's unlikely that's even enough to put you at maintenance so you'll need to keep increasing.

    Yeah that's true but I am currently increasing. Im actually going to make the jump this week to 300-400+ calories. That most likely will put me at maintenance and hopefully a slight surplus but I will continue increasing after that.

    Also did you see my question in the comment you missed in the first page about how weighing less=less calorie burn and weighing more=more calorie burn?
  • liftforjoy43
    liftforjoy43 Posts: 33 Member
    With respect, if I were in your situation I would be looking for a new doctor. Possibly one with experience in sports medicine - it's not unusual for athletes to lose their periods. But it is potentially quite serious and it doesn't sound as if your doctor is taking it seriously.

    I know it's pretty frustrating. Which is why I'm asking for some general advice/suggestions on here because my doctor wasn't much of a help other than just showing me my labs/bloodwork
  • liftforjoy43
    liftforjoy43 Posts: 33 Member
    One more thing for the future so it doesn't catch you by surprise: as you gain weight, running may become harder. Your speed could suffer. Be mentally prepared for that and don't let it affect your determination to reclaim your health. I can't stress enough how serious of a problem being underweight is, even if your labs are good. It affects bone function, heart function, immune system function, and a slew of other issues that could be irreversible if you don't act now.

    That's interesting. Why is that? I would of thought the extra food and weight gain would help me run faster because of all the extra energy. Although if it happens, I won't let it get to me. Running will always be there but my health is my main priority.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    One more thing for the future so it doesn't catch you by surprise: as you gain weight, running may become harder. Your speed could suffer. Be mentally prepared for that and don't let it affect your determination to reclaim your health. I can't stress enough how serious of a problem being underweight is, even if your labs are good. It affects bone function, heart function, immune system function, and a slew of other issues that could be irreversible if you don't act now.

    That's interesting. Why is that? I would of thought the extra food and weight gain would help me run faster because of all the extra energy. Although if it happens, I won't let it get to me. Running will always be there but my health is my main priority.

    You may feel better and more energetic, but since your muscles are used to carrying a light body, it would be harder for them to move a heavier body. Think about running with a heavy backpack and how you may need to reduce your speed to maintain a similar effort level to what you're used to. If you try to maintain speed, it would require higher effort. I'm only talking from reverse experience - running became easier as I became lighter. I don't know what will happen in your case, but it's good to be mentally prepared for any case scenario so you're not taken aback if it happens.
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    One more thing for the future so it doesn't catch you by surprise: as you gain weight, running may become harder. Your speed could suffer. Be mentally prepared for that and don't let it affect your determination to reclaim your health. I can't stress enough how serious of a problem being underweight is, even if your labs are good. It affects bone function, heart function, immune system function, and a slew of other issues that could be irreversible if you don't act now.

    That's interesting. Why is that? I would of thought the extra food and weight gain would help me run faster because of all the extra energy. Although if it happens, I won't let it get to me. Running will always be there but my health is my main priority.

    You may feel better and more energetic, but since your muscles are used to carrying a light body, it would be harder for them to move a heavier body. Think about running with a heavy backpack and how you may need to reduce your speed to maintain a similar effort level to what you're used to. If you try to maintain speed, it would require higher effort. I'm only talking from reverse experience - running became easier as I became lighter. I don't know what will happen in your case, but it's good to be mentally prepared for any case scenario so you're not taken aback if it happens.

    I think it depends on how much weight you gain and whether or not it's lean or fat mass. When I incorporated strength training and gained a little lean mass (only a few pounds, not a lot) several years ago, I became more powerful and was able to increase my speed on the trail. But for the most part, when people tend to gain weight, it's true they aren't usually packing on "fitness pounds" - it's usually mostly fat mass - and more mass without the added strength to go with it is definitely harder to carry and can slow you down. I totally agree with that.

    But she's working with substandard nutrition now. If she gains in a healthy way, and I would recommend replacing some of that running with strength training along with the surplus calories (with doctor's approval of course), I think getting her weight and BMI into the optimal range should enhance her performance, even though it means she's carrying a heavier load - when properly fueled and trained, she should be strong enough to carry it well.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Still curious as to what you wrote @RoxieDawn ?

    She basically said you need to take it seriously.

    You didn't answer my question about whether you had decreased your running and eaten more since starting this thread @liftforjoy43 ?

    Yes I did? I responded back. Haven't you seen it yet?

    Sorry, didn't see it as the thread went onto a new page. I think taking a rest week will help, there is no need to give up running altogether, but you need to fuel it properly.

    200 cals is a good start but it's unlikely that's even enough to put you at maintenance so you'll need to keep increasing.

    Yeah that's true but I am currently increasing. Im actually going to make the jump this week to 300-400+ calories. That most likely will put me at maintenance and hopefully a slight surplus but I will continue increasing after that.

    Also did you see my question in the comment you missed in the first page about how weighing less=less calorie burn and weighing more=more calorie burn?

    The calculation is accurate for calories burnt.
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    I have had issues for years, and ignored them for many of those - lack of periods is only part of the problem. I've been working with a doctor for about 5 months, focusing on getting periods back for a couple.

    .... I've been limited to 3-4 x 30 minute workouts a week.

    I wasn't overly lean when I lost them, but getting lean for comps and staying quite lean probably didn't help, but gaining weight (well past levels of being comfortable with my body) didn't make them return.
  • liftforjoy43
    liftforjoy43 Posts: 33 Member
    Still curious as to what you wrote @RoxieDawn ?

    She basically said you need to take it seriously.

    You didn't answer my question about whether you had decreased your running and eaten more since starting this thread @liftforjoy43 ?

    Yes I did? I responded back. Haven't you seen it yet?

    Sorry, didn't see it as the thread went onto a new page. I think taking a rest week will help, there is no need to give up running altogether, but you need to fuel it properly.

    200 cals is a good start but it's unlikely that's even enough to put you at maintenance so you'll need to keep increasing.

    Yeah that's true but I am currently increasing. Im actually going to make the jump this week to 300-400+ calories. That most likely will put me at maintenance and hopefully a slight surplus but I will continue increasing after that.

    Also did you see my question in the comment you missed in the first page about how weighing less=less calorie burn and weighing more=more calorie burn?

    The calculation is accurate for calories burnt.

    I know but that still doesn't answer my general question? I'm just sorta curious about it.
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